Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a food dehydrator that can simply dry all kinds of food, such as fruit, vegetables, agricultural products, meat, fish, and so on.
Background of the Related Art
Conventional food drying is carried out in open places exposed to air and sun, but recently, food drying is conducted through a mechanical food dehydrator.
Such food dehydrator is configured wherein in a state wherein a plurality of shelves on which food to be dried are put is inserted thereinto, air is absorbed from inlets and circulated entirely in the food dehydrator by using a fan driven by a motor. In this case, it is very important that the internal air in the food dehydrator which is raised in humidity due to water vapor should be discharged to the outside and at the same time dry and fresh external air should be introduced into the food dehydrator. Accordingly, the food dehydrator generally has air inlet holes formed on the lower end thereof and air outlet holes formed on the top cover thereof, thus providing an air circulation system wherein ventilation is carried out by means of natural convection.
For example, as disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Serial Nos. US 2013/0326902 A1 and US 2013/0233185 A1, most of conventional food dehydrators have air inlet holes, a heat source and a fan disposed on the lower portion of a food dehydrator body, a plurality of dry stands disposed vertically in the inside of the body, and air outlet holes formed on the top of the body. Accordingly, the air introduced and heated from the lower portion of the food dehydrator is passed vertically through the dry stands sequentially and dries the food put on the dry stands.
At this time, the air around the dry stand close to the heat source becomes the warmest air and the most dry air, and the air becomes cold and humid toward the upper side dry stand. Accordingly, the closest food to the air supply source is very dried, but the most distant food from the air supply source is more slowly dried, so that drying qualities are different in accordance with the positions of the dry stands, thus undesirably increasing an amount of power consumed.
Further, the conventional food dehydrator may cause the water drops of food falling from the dry stands to pollute the motor and the heat wires of the heat source located at the lower portion thereof, and particularly, if drying for meat is conducted, fire danger may exist due to the lipid droplets generated from the meat.
Further, generally coil type heat wires are exposed directly to the food to be dried, thus causing irregular drying and making it hard to maintain the drying temperature of the food constantly.